Zone Five
by Fudgebrowniez
Summary: *seuqel to Georgia Rose* Durango, Colorado. Geneva, New York Anaheim, California. Reno, Nevada Together, they beat the odds. But apart? Surviving a zombie apcalypse seems hard, but in reality, it's afterwords that is the worst.
1. False Hope Pt 1

**A/N: Holee Shieeet. I didn't expect to crack out ZF this quickly! But I did, so that's a good thing. I have a lot of news to share with you. So lets get crackin!**

**1.) I will be posting ZF on deviant art also. Look at my profile for the link.**

**2.) No user submitted OC's will be accepted here. Please consult my forum.**

**3.) No user submitted Characters were added in this chapter. I introduced my two OC's, Desi and Jakob, but that's all. **

**4.) if you haven't Noticed, ZF has changed to an "M" rating. There will be lemons, swearing, gore and Y'Alls. **

**(derp) **

* * *

Her eyes whipped around fast, making sure her surrounding were clear. She didn't quite appreciate getting sneaked up on a leaper or a jumper. She held her puny Desert Eagle out, the butt of the pistol smoking slightly. Snow had began to cover the deserted streets of Geneva, New York. She had one mission to complete before death, and that was to find her brother. They were never close, he hopped town to town without so much as a goodbye. But she had something important to him.

The necklace was from his ex-wife, something he refused to even look at. But gold and silver were going to be valuable once the military gets rid of the remaining infected. The winter was going to pretty much eradicate the infectivity of the Green Flu. It was also going to kill most of the remaining survivors.

Bodies were covered with snow, large white bumps in the carpet showing her where not to step. Her emerald green eyes flicked up to the rooftops, where she swore she saw movement. A shadow still lurked, the body feminine and bundled up. It was probably a common or a smart survivor. She didn't want to come across either. The last remaining people in Geneva were very much different.

A community had broken out of the rubble that called themselves the "Geneva Genesis'" They were pretty much a group of religious freaks that got lucky barricading a whole section of the town off. She had heard whispers that they barricaded the blocks off with the corpses of the dead. Both infected and not. It was very much a survival of the fittest there, where no women, children or elderly was allowed. She was lucky to get out with her life.

Her name was Dessiree Jacobson, but she preferred Desi. Her older brother had given it to her. Her and her brother were close when he lived with the family. They looked like twins, other than the fact Desi had bleach blonde hair. Desi felt a thick wind come up behind her, and she sidestepped as a huge one armed geek charged. She whipped out a dainty looking kitchen knife, lobbing it into the skull of the charger passed, stopping dead cold.

After all, her brother had taught her how to throw knifes pretty well. But what he really told her was how to con and gamble. Desi had worked at a ratty strip joint, seducing men and then stealing large sums of cash from them. She would sometimes go gamble with her brother, but it got boring winning so easily. She liked the girls she worked with, expecially the girl named Scarlett Purrin. Desi knew she was alive, since she had gone to the gun range a few times with Scar.

She kept on walking, her worn leather mid upper thigh boots crunching on the fluffy snow. She kept a black hood up, her messy blonde hair falling out in wavy curls. She peeked over the corner of a flipped car, to see four geeks gnawing on a still alive doe. One clip later, the streets were clear. She kept a constant trot as she checked the bare apartments for supplies, not surprised when she found them stripped of necessities. The Geneva Genesis' was really getting on her nerves.

All she wanted was to find her brother.

**Date: December 8th, 2012**

Thick snow fell lazily, the flakes condensing on the ground. Nobody was outside, the bitter cold warning of the blizzard incoming. They slept inside, the trio trying to stay as warm as possible. They had a crackling fire in the hearth of their living room, blankets and sleeping bags adorning the ground, along with throw pillows and three sleeping bodies.

The eldest girl had unconsciously began to cry, tears slowly rolling down her frail face. Even though she was rapidly gaining weight from her pregnancy, she was still bone thin and extremely frail, both physically and mentally. She was worn out from all the stress her body had gone through in the three months of the infection. But mainly, she had plummeted into a deep depression. It was because of him. She missed his touch, his warm smile and witty remarks. How dare they take him away from her?

The other, adolescent child shuffled in her sleep, letting out a deep breath. She had many things on her mind, but the main reason for her sadness was of her adoptive mother. She hated to see the beautiful girl cry until she vomited, or see her wrists razed to ragged skin. The fiery redhead knew that her mother was not okay; that he really meant something to her. It made her think of all the men that meant so much to her. But only one really stood out to her. Glasses, a wispy voice like the wind on an autumn day, and a face like heaven itself.

The third person of the group was dead silent. He didn't move or make noises in his sleep. He was trained not to. The enemy could hear your breaths and every shuffle. Being in the Army for six years had made him cold, raw in strength and powerful. But he lacked in emotion, and couldn't see why the eldest girl was so upset. But he had to protect them, he was assigned to be her mate after all. His body was mere inches from the pregnant woman, heat from her shuddering body hitting him.

A cat mewled from the loft upstairs, watching the sleeping humans with wide emerald eyes. He could see so much better in the night, when the light didn't shine so intensely. He missed his owner, with the chocolate brown hair and hazel eyes. He missed the man with the green eyes and a bitter laugh. But he didn't miss the short haired dirty blonde, no. She had kicked him, and he didn't take abuse so lightly. Sure, the cat had been beat up by the infected, but the girl actually had a brain. She knew what she was doing. He jumped down the stairs, meowing once again. The embers of the fire crackled, and the car watched as the final burning wood slowly flickered, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

The cat hoped he wouldn't ever have to see those vile creatures again.

* * *

She woke up with a memory of a nightmare. Nightmares were common, especially the ones that made her wake up screaming. The ones of Charger's crushing her lungs, Witch's shredding their nails across bare skin, Spitter's howling in victory as skin as skin was melted from her goo. Scarlett sighed, rubbing her head. She could feel her heartbeat in her skull, a throbbing and dull pain radiating throughout her whole body. That's what she got for being almost five months pregnant.

"Good morning." She heard.

Scarlett jumped, remembering the male figure that was assigned to her. Zone Five was trying to repopulate, the need for immune people rising as more and more people died of hypothermia. The winter was bitter and unforgiving in the ruins of Durango, Colorado. The soldiers still had to work, though. Jakob was not an exception. He had taken up a job in the army, today being his last day in Zone Five. Then, he'd have to travel to Zone Two, Four and Six to distribute supplies and go out on rescue missions.

"Hi." She whispered, her eyes flickering to the sleeping Phoenix.

"I'm going to miss you both." Jakob said awkwardly from the kitchen. He had a steaming pot of coffee in his strong hands.

Jakob was just as bad, or even worse, when it came to showing his feelings. He was a hardened military jock, with a thick skin and a temper. Scarlett had found a bond between them when she realized how rock hard he was. He didn't show an ounce of fear or remorse as he told her his life story. He had to kill his girlfriend, watch his daughter die, and suffer alone through the apocalypse. It made her story look like a feather pillow.

"Thanks for the coffee, Jake." Scarlett changed the subject, cracking her back.

"No problem. It's pretty strong, though. Isn't caffeine bad for the baby?"

Scarlett frowned slightly, rubbing her bulging stomach. It was as hot as a furnace, and she could feel the steady movement of her little boy or girl inside. Nick had insisted it would be a girl, but Scar had a premonition that he was going to be a little Nicholas Jr. Thick, jet black hair. Emerald green eyes, skinny yet plump red lips that had a dimple on its left cheek. She shook her head, mentally slapping his face out of her memories. She couldn't think of Nick right now.

"Yeah, it probably is. I'll go get your bags." Scarlett got to her sock-clad feet.

"You don't have to do that." Jake sighed.

"No, I don't. But I am anyways." Scarlett agreed, smiling wickedly.

Scarlett liked their apartment. Three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a loft upstairs that was once an office. The apartment was very modern, with slate tiled floors and white fluffy duvets on all the beds. There was even a theatre room with a PS3 and Xbox. Something told her a teenage boy lived here. She could see Ellis and Nathan playing Call Of Duty, beers and Doritos littering the floors. She missed everyone so damn much. She padded up the cool stairs, pausing at Jakob's door. They never slept in the beds, as the house was only forty degrees tops, upstairs. The days usually consisted of them huddling up together and reading. Anything to get the memories out of their heads.

She turned the cold knob to the door, finding a grey suitcase laid neatly on the stripped bed. Scarlett picked the light bag up, something falling out. It flitted to the ground and landed face first, a picture of Jakob's family. He was thirty two, after all. She kneeled down, picking up the picture. Jakob had his arm wrapped around his girlfriend, a wide smile on both of their faces. She cradled her stomach, a small yet definite bump. They were at a beach, a harbor behind them. She didn't even have a photograph to remember her fiancée.

She put the picture back inside his suitcase, rolling it down to the first floor. Phoenix had since woken up, her fiery hair sticking up in every direction. She stretched delicately, Flame sitting on her lap. The cat had taken a liking to the teenage girl, following her around everywhere. Phoenix even brought him into the forests when she went out to kill game. Phoenix loved sneaking out of the borders of Zone Five.

Even though it was illegal and most likely punishable by a bullet to the head, Scarlett let her adoptive child do it. It was the only way for them to keep food on the table. Sure, the market had food during the spring and summer, but the winter chill had killed anything growing, and Zone Five was low on supplies. A food truck was supposed to come in any day. Scarlett handed the suitcase to Jake, a deep frown etched onto the Army Vet's face. He reminded Scar of her father. A warm heart, yet a cold hard shell on the outside. Only a few people could crack it.

"I'll miss you." Scarlett whispered.

It wasn't a lie. Jakob had turned out to be the shoulder to cry on. He too had nightmares, even though he didn't show it. Scarlett would wake up in the wee hours of the night, and she swore she could hear his sobs. In early October, when it wasn't so cold out, she would slip out of her bed and sleep with him. It wasn't sexual, it wasn't romantic. It was just for comfort. She felt his arms wrap awkwardly around her waist, pulling her into him. He smelled like cigarettes and coffee.

"I'll miss you too, Scar. When I get into two, I'll talk to Nicholas for you."

"Thank you. Make sure you write us."

Writing letters was the only permitted communication throughout the Zone's. It was expensive to do it through the government, so that's why there were messengers. Usually people in the military that would collect letters to loved ones and deliver them for free. Jakob had a stack of twenty letters to deliver. Two of them were Scar's. One was for Nick, the other for Ellis. Phoenix had written a letter to Nathan, even though she swore they were just friends.

"Of course, baby girl."

He left without another glance, shutting the door behind him. Scarlett was in such a disheveled heap, she couldn't really comprehend the fact she had just lost another person so close to her. Phoenix had eased her to the couch, wrapping a blanket around her frame. She had little meat on her body, fat which could of kept her warm.

"Do you want some breakfast? I can make us some eggs over the fire." Phoenix asked.

"Eggs sound good. Thank you, 'Nix."

Scar watched will dull eyes as Phoneix cooked over the hearth. Not having electricity was hard, but Scar was used to it by now. They had an endless supply of matches, tinder, lighters and even a pack of cigaretts. Logs could be either chopped down or bought at the Market for five dollars a bundle. Phoenix loved going to the market and selling her game illegally. The vendors happily took the meat off her hands, usually giving her a free hot cocoa or even a trinket.

"How's school going, hon?" Scar asked, watching her stiffen up.

"It's doing okay, I guess." Phoenix said vaguely. She flipped the eggs delicately.

Scarlett stayed silent, just drinking in the silence. Silence was no longer her enemy. It comforted her, to a certain degree. It hided her feelings and emotions that bubbled like boiling water. She listened to the crackling of the fire, her mind wandering.

* * *

_She shut the wooden door behind her, a blush creeping up her face. She had never been so nervous to show off her body to another guy. Even years working at a strip club had nothing with her as he pushed her against the wall, kissing her. Every emotion, every feeling was intensified as their lips moved together in harmony. She felt him tugging at the ends of her shirt, ending the kiss to ask for silent approval. _

_"It's okay." She whispered, pulling the garment of clothing over her head, flinging it away._

_She stood shirtless before him, a lacy black bra the only thing hiding her innocence from him. Sure, she had shown men her breasts before, but they were only faces, only dollar bills that paid the rent. This was someone who she was going to be with for a long time. Possibly for the rest of her life._

_"You are so beautiful." He whispered, trailing kisses down her neck. _

_She sighed, watching him with wary eyes as he pulled his blue shirt over his body. It shouldn't even be considered blue, with all the dirt, blood and rips in it. Still, his body was as toned as the first time she had seen him, along with a few new scars. Their lips met once again as they fell onto the bed, warmth enveloping Scar as Nick pulled her into his arms. She new tonight was the night she'd lose her virginity. And she was damn near ecstatic. _

_The feelings changed as they became impatient. Nick had carelessly ripped her pants off, leaving her in her underwear. Scar had also taken his dress pants off, and they were at the peak of their relationship. Scarlett unclasped the back of her bra, Nick watching her with a wary eye._

_"I'm taking advantage of you." Nick whispered, halting her hands._

_"Of course you're not! If anything, I'm taking advantage of you!" Scar exclaimed._

_"You're killing me." He grumbled._

_She felt his hands wrap around her chest, easily flicking her last piece of innocence away. She laid bare breasted in front of him, trying to hide. She felt so open, broken down in front of him. But he was the only one she felt comfortable showing him her body. She felt him sigh, his kisses trailing down her torso and navel. One hand rested on her left breast, kneading it between his fingertips. _

_"Scarlett."_

* * *

"Scarlett!" She blinked, Phoenix right in her face.

"Shit, sorry. I was zoning out."

"I asked if you wanted salt on your eggs." Phoenix held the plate out.

"Ugh, gross. Thanks for the offer, though." Scarlett crinkled her nose, taking the plate and fork.

"You were thinking about him, weren't you?" Phoenix whispered in a hushed tone.

"Thinking about who?" Scarlett responded. Maybe playing dumb would get her out of this awkward conversation.

"Nick, you dumbshit!" Phoenix laughed, taking a bite of her eggs.

Scarlett chewed thoughtfully, considering her answer. She could lie, and say she was thinking about her family or one of the others. Maybe she could of been thinking about Coach, or Rochelle. Maybe even Tyler. After all, he did haunt most of her nightmares. Most of them included him raping her, cutting her baby out with his devilish claws, or the most disturbing, killing Nick. She would never let anyone touch her husband, though.

"Yes." She finally sighed innocently.

"You know, I think I might like Nathan." Phoenix pondered, her coal grey eyes flitting up to the ceiling.

"He's nice, for a fifteen year old." Scarlett snorted. She didn't want to sound like a horny, pregnant cougar.

"No, I mean I really like him. He reminds me so much of..." She trailed off, obviously lost in a distant memory.

"Mel?" Scarlett finished the statement delicately.

"Yeah. But he also reminds me of Tyler. Before he turned into a batshit lunatic."

"Ty?" Scar scoffed, "The man who raped you? Who tried to kill all of us?"

"He didn't rape me. Because I asked for it."

"Do you regret it?" Scarlett met the teenagers eyes.

"In someways, no. But in other ways, yes. I just wish I could of saved it for my husband. Like you." Phoenix had tears threatening to flow.

"Hey, don't cry. C'mere." Scarlett outstretched her arms, Phoenix sitting down next to her.

"Tell me a story." Phoenix whispered like a child, sniffling slightly.

"Oh, like what?"

"Tell me what you felt the first time you saw Nick."

Scarlett laughed, rubbing Phoenix's back soothingly. Her hair no longer fell past her shoulders, Scarlett had forced her to cut it back. Then, things couldn't grab her. She wasnt going to lose the one person she had left from the apocalypse.

"Well, it wasn't love at first sight. At least, for me. I was running away from a Witch after I got separated from my teammates. You met Ty, but you didn't meet Jonathan or Quinn. Well, you met the Huntress Quinn, but not the real Quinn. I tripped and fell into Nick. We escaped out of a mall with a stock car, after Jonathan sacrificed himself. Then, we found you."

"So you didn't like him when you first met him?" Phoenix cocked her head.

"Honestly, no. I thought he was an asshole." Scarlett laughed, feeling Phoenix pull out of her embrace.

"I still think he is. I don't know what you see in him." Phoenix jabbed her ribs slightly.

"Well jeez, thanks!" Scarlett sputtered, getting off the couch. She took Phoenix's empty plate, bringing it over to the kitchen and placing them into the sink

Even though they didn't have heat and electricity, they did have water. They did have to conserve it though. Scarlett ran a little bit of Luke warm water, the remnants of eggs cloying the water and going down the drain. Scarlett sighed. It was something she did lately. She would sigh whenever she had an ounce of remorse or sadness. Flame rubbed against her clothing, mewling.

Scarlett wasn't wearing anything out of the ordinary. An indigo knit sweater, tight fitting nylon pants, and fluffy knee high snow boots. Flame was rubbing against Scar's new shoes, getting ginger hair all over the raccoon fur. Scarlett hated the vile creatures with a passion. One had scared the shit out of her when she was taking the trash out back in Oregon. She had brought an airsoft gun with her out since the incident.

"Flame's hungry, 'Nix." Scarlett bent down to scratch the kitten inbetween it's ears.

Phoenix had agreed to care for the cat after Serenity was deemed a carrier. Animals were, to a default, immune to the human born disease. Flame was a nuisance to Scarlett, just another mouth to feed. But Phoenix had a knack for animals, and loved to have them around. She had even snuck an injured bird into the apartment in November. Scarlett had efficiently shot it with a Glock 26 when it landed on her as she was peeing.

"Phoenix?" Scarlett whispered.

"You should probably come see this."

* * *

**Well, that had me pulling my hair out for almost a month. I rewrote it about thirty thousand times before finally settling for this mess of a chapter. :c **

**Please Review, favorite, follow and read on.**

**HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO MY EPIC BETA DILUTED DOLPHIN. **

**(October 13) **

**Please check out the story I'm Beta'ing for, "The Observer" By TinyBabyWoman. It's Tf2, bitaches.**

**Love and hugs,**

**Nikki**

**(herp)**


	2. False Hope Pt 2

**Bleh, I hate this chapter. :P **

**But anyways, sorry for the long wait. I've been on a writing hiatus due to the passing of a great friend. But In this chapter, I've added two submitted charactors, Scout and Roland. I hope you enjoy, and feedback is required. Gracias! :)**

**Love and hugs,**

**Nikki**

Date: December 11th

Location: Reno, Nevada

She stood in the middle of the navy hued streets, holding the cool metal in her shaky palms. She took a deep breath, making sure her body was relaxed and cool. It was just a run to the market at three in the morning, nothing more and nothing less. Ellis would have been more than happy to get the girly supplies she needed, but Serenity didn't want him to. This also was the first night in weeks that he had gotten a wink of shut eye. And Nick, Nick was another problem. He was separated from his other half, and he decided to drink away his sorrows. It wasn't uncommon to find a shattered bottle of Smirnoff or Captain Morgans in the living room.

She had stolen a butterfly knife from Nick's room, and she eyed it carefully. She would of liked to use a pistol or rifle as a mean of protection, but the trio's guns were locked up tight in Ellis' room. That is, except for the Russian model AK that was propped up next to Nick's bed. Scarlett had forced him to take it with him, as a reminder of her. He gave her a ring, she gave him a gun and a child. She flicked the butterfly knife open as rubber tread against concrete, her breath hitching up. Infected were common in Zone Two, where every person who died turned.

A blur of grey.

She felt a body slam into hers, and she let out a squeal as Serenity fell to the ground. She jammed her knife into the things rib cage, a gasp of pain coming from the body. It was a human! She felt him recoil in pain as she pulled the knife out, blood splattering on her black North Face jacket. After three months being out on her own, she should be used to blood by now. But she still wasn't.

"I am so sorry. I thought you were one of those things." Serenity felt sturdy arms wrap around her, gracefully pulling her up.

"Yeah, you should be paying attention!" He spat back.

"Excuse me?" Serenity scoffed.

The man looked to be around her age, with scruffy brownish blonde hair and hard grey eyes. He had three metal dog tags slung around his thick neck, and his hands were bandaged up, holding a dangerous metal bat. Suddenly, Serenity didn't feel so bad about stabbing the arrogant boy. He wore a medium blue hoodie, with khaki's and Nike's. He looked like a self proclaimed collage student who lived on Top Ramen and odd jobs.

"You fucking stabbed me! I was running from a group of mercenaries!" He held a timid hand to his wounded chest.

"You are such a baby! Let me see it, I was a nurse before the world went to hell."

"Could we do it somewhere, uhh, inside? Those assholes are still on my trail."

Serenity sniffed, putting her knife back into her pocket. Tampons could wait, she guessed. The apartment she shared with Ellis and Nick was three blocks away, an easy walk for most people. But by the fifteenth step, the unnamed man had to lean on Serenity to walk. He smelled slightly of marijuana and cologne, along with a smell she couldn't quite place. He soon began to bleed out, barely making it to her flat. Ellis was asleep in his room, while Nick was sprawled out on the couch, a bottle of bourbon cradled in his arms.

"This is my deadbeat roommate, Nick. The other ones asleep." Serenity explained as she laid the injured man on the table.

She grabbed the bottle out of Nick's slaked hands, earning a few choice words and a weak left hook to the side. She put the bottle next to the man, as she padded off to the bathroom. She always kept a few med-packs just in case something like this happened. She brought the red pack out, noticing how much blood he had already lost.

"Can you take off your jacket and shirt, please?" Serenity asked, pulling on thick latex gloves.

"You just wanna see my chest, don't cha?" He chortled, wincing after he moved his chest too much.

"Not really, to be honest. Do you want to bleed out, or what?" Serenity zipped open the pack, keeping her eyes focused on the medical supplies inside.

The wound was a gash probably three inches wide and four inches deep. She couldn't judge how bad it was, but by the amounts of blood pouring out, it was pretty bad. She moved a lock of her chestnut brown hair away from her dewy forehead as she pulled a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. She wet a cotton ball with the substance, slowly tapping on the bloody wound. She could feel him stiffen up under her delicate touch, and the solution fizzed in his wound. Nick probably hadn't cleaned the knife in ages.

"Sorry, uh-"

"Scout. Just call me that."

"Like as in the kid from Team Fortress Two?"

"I can't tell yah how many times I've heard that, missy."

Serenity let out a laugh. "My names Serenity."

The rest of the time was spent in a comfortable silence, since Scout's mind was numbed with pills and bourbon. He was nineteen, months younger than Serenity, who had turned twenty in November. She had thought turning twenty would be fun, planning a girls night, going to Vegas or Los Angeles. But instead, it was spent nursing over Nick's broken heart, and Ellis' wounds. He had crushed his left ankle when they escaped from the bridge. He was still on crutches and in a boot, but he could walk easily with the stubborn heart he had. Serenity no longer questioned why Ellis had chosen Josie over her, mainly because she was over him. Sure, she had a small thing with DJ (Who's real name turned out to be Derrick) which ended up with a horrible one night stand. He obviously was not skilled in the sex department.

"I'm almost finished." Serenity whispered, mainly to herself. Nick was knocked unconscious, and Scout was shitfaced and stone cold. She was left to her own silence as she finished stitching up the cut, a small smile spreading over her lips as she finished. The man had fallen asleep from the combo of pills and drink, a small snore emitted from his parted lips. She sighed, knowing he'd need a place to sleep. She couldn't just throw him out on the streets again, he'd probably end up getting shot or stabbed again. Serenity got up from the table and roused Nick.

"Nick. Wake up." She whispered, lightly tapping the tip of his cool nose.

"Go away." He grumbled, swatting at her.

"Tell you what. If you help me move this guy for me, I'll letcha drink the rest of your bourbon."

His eyes fluttered open, a trademark gambler's smirk trailing on his slackened jaw. He looked a lot better sober than he did drunk, that's for sure. He quickly hoisted Scout over his shoulder, carrying the boy to her room. It wasn't really considered a room, it was the size of a coat closet or bathroom. She always liked small bedrooms, because she loved feeling closed in and comfy.

She silently tucked the shirtless man into her twin sized ratty bed, feeling his forehead. White hot and dry as a desert. He had a fever. Shit. She quickly grabbed him a cool glass of water and two neon orange ibuprofen tablets, watching him in his slumber. He looked so young, so innocent even if she had just met him. She slowly ran her fingers over the dog tags, the imprints unreadable to her. He looked a day over 15, at most. She thought he was somewhat attractive, but his words burned her to the core.

"Serenity." She heard someone slur behind her.

"Nick, go to bed. It's late." Serenity sighed, popping the pills into Scout's mouth.

She looked up when he didn't respond. He had an expression she knew all to well, a look of pure sadness and utter depression. His eyes were no longer emerald green, instead a bloodshot, hazy grey. His hands were shaky, and his mouth twitched slightly.

"Hey!" She cooed, standing up. "It's okay, shh."

She walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He finished the hug, sobbing silently into the crook of her neck. She felt horrible for what he was going through, that pain that clenched his already small heart and crushed it into shreds. He was missing her so bad it made Serenity hurt for him.

"C'mon, you need some sleep. I'll bring you to your bedroom." Serenity grasped his clammy hand, giving him a firm squeeze.

Nick and Serenity had slept together. But not in any other way than sitting together and crying, wrapping their arms around each other for comfort. She was nineteen younger than him, anyways, and he was in love. She was not into the old man.

She led him down to his bedroom, something missing. She felt odd being away from that poor man in her bed. As soon as the mattress came into view, Nick fell down onto it and groaned.

"Nick. You have to change." Serenity groaned, helping him out of his shirt and pants.

She tucked the man into bed, feeling his ragged breath rise and fall as she leaned in his doorframe. She had never felt that kind of love that made it hurt if you were apart. She never had to rely on anyone to make her feel happy. Serenity kissed Nick on the forehead before exiting his room, finally getting some alone time. It was about five thirty in the morning, the sun beginning to peak over the tall mesas of Reno. She could see the outlines of the ruined downtown, the fires and walkers that were mere miles away. It was too late to sleep, and too early to go run to the market just yet. She could probably just wait until Scout left.

She found herself at his bedside once again. What was she thinking, being so close to a madman? He was running from a group that he owed money, after all. He wasn't safe, not at all. She ran her hands lightly across his forehead, now somewhat cooler and dripping with sweat. His fever had either broke or the medicine had temporarily subdued the dangerous combo. She knew that if he had a fever, an infection wouldn't be too far away. Serenity knew that she'd need heavy duty antibiotics that only hospitals had. There was a emergency clinic in the center of Zone Two, but walkers were even more common in the center. They were shipping more immune military geeks in to protect the clinic, but they were long since overdue.

"Miss me, sweetheart?"

Date: December 12th

Location: Geniva, New York.

Desi sat by a crackling fire, warming her now bare hands. She had placed the damp, fingerless wool gloves on a warm stone around the fire, and had started to finally relax. Safe houses were almost eradicated in New York, and she usually settled with abandoned warehouses or small cottages away from danger. She tried not to bring attention to herself, but it was hard with the bitter cold setting in. She had found a sleeping bag in the large warehouse, along with rusted pots and pans. It was good enough for a night, as long as the doors stayed shut. They were large and metal, and she had pushed drums of oil against them to seal out the world.

It was cozy, all by her self in solitude. Sure, she missed her family and boyfriend, but she was always a loner. She idly twirled a switchblade around her cool fingers, running her other hand through her hair. A cool wind whipped through the broken window pains, along with the groans of the dead. She didn't know those sounds could become so normal in her life.

A noise.

Thick, harsh knocking that belonged to a human. Desi's heart stopped, a sinking feeling pulling her down. She didn't want to have another person dragging her down. She was a line hunter, a lone fighter. She got up, barefooted and coat less, and began to push the barrel aside. As soon as she opened the door, the butt of and AK was shoved up her neck.

"What a welcoming sight." Desi sighed, pushing it away.

"Sorry, just makin sure you weren't one of those things."

He looked to be young, his calloused palms holding an AK with a detachable grenade launcher. His hair was slicked back from the snow, a deep auburn color protruding from his scalp. His eyes were the color of coal, and he was definitely quite handy with weapons.

"Here, you look cold. I have a fire, sleeping bags. You can stay with me for the night, if you'd fancy." Desi turned back to look at the crackly fire.

"That'd be awesome, ma'am."

"You don't need to be polite and shit. Call me Desi."

They moved the oil drum back into its place before sitting down. He had immediately pulled off his boots and wool socks. His feet were ragged and bruised, along with large cuts and scratches. Desi eyed him warily as he pulled out a can of beans and placed them over the fire in a pan. She had found a thermos and tea bags, and her water began to boil that she had set twenty minutes ago. She carefully poured the water into the pine green thermos, the steam clouding the air around her.

"Would you like some tea, er-"

"Roland."

"Roland?"

"I'm good, actually. I don't drink tea."

"Oh. Well, after I drink this, I'm going to sleep. So you can do whatever, I guess."

Desi plopped the tea bag into the steamy water, watching as her breath steamed in the air, a shudder running through her. She had taken off her jacket, but she still had a burgundy colored under armor shirt, a light grey sweater, and a pair of thick ski pants, tucked into thick socks. Her boots were resting by the fire, two stones inside of each to warm them. She took a tentative sip of tea, the water scalding her throat. She drank it anyways. She needed warmth and liquid inside her, since the temperature was dropping steadily.

-2 hours later-

Desi didn't know she could get this cold. Her whole body was shaking in the sleeping bag, even through the layers of clothing and the embers that burned in the fire pit. Wind howled outside, bringing in drifts of snow and ice rain. She yearned for that flask of tea, the fire that burned mere hours ago, and warmth. Roland seemed to be doing well, his breath steady and drifting off to sleep. He wasn't quite asleep though, she could tell.

"You're cold?" Roland whispered.

"J-J-Just a ta-ad." Desi chattered.

Desi saw Roland get out of his sleeping bag, and walk towards her. She knew huddling together would make the most sense, but with a complete stranger? All she knew about him was that he was in the army at eighteen and was discharged after a friendly fire incident got him a gsw to the foot. He pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around Desi's cool form before opening the sleeping bag and getting in.

He smelled of spices and snow, along with leather and tobacco. He smelled of her dad's old Pick up truck seats, and it reminded her of home. Before the world had collapsed. She felt his heat envelop her, and her rigid body slowly stopped its shaking. She mentally thanked Roland for doing this for a complete stranger.

Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea letting a stranger join her. Especially this one.


	3. False Hope Pt 3

**Hello my lovelies:) sorry for the extremely long wait, but that's how long it takes me to write a chapter in a bad mood. But anyways, enough about me. WARNING: tissues needed. I even teared up writing this:( but, here's your reward for waiting so long!**

**Love and Hugs,**

**Nikki**

**Date: December 12th**

She woke up with the taste of whiskey on her tongue. One hand cradled the bottle of half empty Jack Daniels, while the other was splayed out, hitting the snooze button on her alarm clock. She let out a groan, her head thumping slightly and her body stiff. Josie Granger was used to wild hangovers, but this was the first she had gotten since moving to Zone One. She sat up in bed, noticing an amber colored stain running down her white tank top, and the remnants of throw up on her pants. She ran a hand through her now chin length hair, inhaling a long breath. She could here sizzling of bacon on a frying pan, along with the noises of Nathan playing Xbox. Zone One was first to get power back, along with water and heat. But in Anaheim, California, you didn't quite need heat.

She groggily walked to her bathroom, the reflection of herself not surprising Josie. Her hair stuck up in messy clumps, her white blonde roots peeking through her dye job. It was too girly for her liking, thus the dirty blonde. Her eyes had deep bags underneath, along with stress lines and ghastly colored skin. Her whole body felt dirty and scum like, even more than when she was out in Georgia. She quickly peeled off her messy clothes, throwing them in a disheveled heap by the now locked door. Walkers, even though rare, still sometimes were found wandering the streets. When carriers died, they turned into an infected no matter what injury, (other than a bullet to the head.) making the Zone that much more unsafe. Add that to the fact that there were almost no children, an uptight military, and the claustrophobia of too close apartments, and Zone One was almost completely dissatisfying for Josie.

She turned the water on, a spray of icy cold water shocking her into huddling in the back corner of the shower. She soon began to sit in the steaming hot water, letting the liquid drip down her back and warm her soul. She always went to the shower when she had to think or get away from the real world. Her mind now wandered towards that blue eyed southerner, something she couldn't stop thinking about. She slowly was able to admit that she really missed him, almost like she couldn't live without that dopey smile or the crinkles around his eyes when he smiled. Her hand still slightly ached whenever she flexed it or held something. They had taken the horrid hot pink cast off after two months of itchy agony, but her knuckles were still soft and healing.

"Josie, use all the water, will you?" Derrick yelled over the warm spray.

"Piss off!" She retorted loudly.

Josie spent the last few minutes in the shower cleaning her body. The smell of alcohol now only lingered in her breath and thoughts as she towel dried her naked form, her mind still somewhat numb and hazy. The sweet taste of whiskey now had soured into a bitter aftertaste, and she grasped for her toothpaste and toothbrush, nearly choking on the stinging peppermint taste. When she spit out, the lather of toothpaste was mixed with blood, most likely since she jabbed her gums to shreds. After brushing her teeth, she walked back into her large bedroom to get dressed. The alarm clock in her bedroom read 9:53, not too shabby for a hungover girl. Usually Josie would wake up in the mid afternoon back in Perth, but she was still a bit Jet Lagged. It wasn't unusual to wake up at two in the morning thinking she was late for work.

Her room was very lavish and comfortable, almost like the hotel she stayed in a while back when she first came to America. Fluffy white sheets adorning a king sized bed. It was a miracle she hadn't stained the sheets with her drink or vomit. The walls were painted a light grey, and one whole wall was a pane of glass, showing a marvelous view of the wrecked city. It must of been very beautiful before shit hit the fan. A flat screen hung above a rock lined fireplace, which was its own living room inside her bedroom. She wanted DJ or Nathan to have it, but the gentleman refused, apparently thinking the cripple needed a better room. But she would still beat the shit out of them if necessary. But she was really starting to think of the two as a part of her family now. Josie didn't know what she would do without these people.

She changed into a simple white crew neck, with black capri cotton pants and fuzzy socks. Her whole body trembled as she walked down the slate tiled floor, her feet taking her to the kitchen and living room. DJ was cooking up a delicious smelling breakfast, while Nathan was playing Grand Theft Auto. Nathan was stretched along the felt couch, his head laying on a pillow. Something was really wrong with Nathan, and Josie couldn't quite place it. He was depressed since the split between our group, and Josie didn't understand why. He didn't have a loved one in the group, and he wasn't attached to anyone romantically. Unless...

Josie shook off the thought, sitting down on the loveseat opposite Nathan. His eyes flicked to her momentarily, but then back to the television screen. It was a tad bit awkward being the only girl in a house of two men, but Josie was never a feminist. She liked dirt biking and fighting, along with chugging beers at the local pub back in Perth. But apparently, you had to act like a prissy bitch in America.

She heard a knock on the door, the sound gruff and startling. Josie got up to grab it, but Derrick quickly pushed her aside. She wasn't normally paranoid, but something stuck her as something suspicious. DJ closed the door behind him, the only thing Josie noticing about the man at the door being a black trench coat. Nathan and her shared a confused look, Nathan pausing his game to get up and try to look out the peephole.

"Don't." Josie stood up also.

"Why not? I'm bored as fuck and have nothing else better to do in this shithole of a town." Nathan responded in monotone.

"Since when did you cuss like a sailor, Nathan?" Josie raised a delicate brown eyebrow.

"Since this world went to hell." He deadpanned.

The noise she heard next made her blood run cold. A single, well placed shot from a pistol echoed from their doorstep, along with a thud as a body slammed into their front door. Adrenaline surged through Josie as she ran into her bedroom, pulling up her mattress to grab the .22 she always kept for safe keeping. The Zone had taken all of their weapons, except for the pistol Josie had stolen off a guard in Zero. Nathan had also grabbed a frying pan in haste, his body pressed against the door and peeping out the hole.

"Shit." Nathan gulped, pushing the door outwards.

DJ lay slumped on the ground, a bullet lodged in his head. Blood pooled around them, his body still warm though he was long since gone, along with the gunman. Guns were only admitted to officials and men in the military. Josie had a lurking suspicion Derrick knew something he shouldn't of. Murders were common when ex government officials knew too much about the demolition of the east coast. But DJ never worked with Zone One, nor had anything to do with them.

"What the hell just happened." Nathan's eyes were wide as saucers.

Josie gulped. "We have to hide the body. They'll think we offed Derrick."

"Where the hell do you hide a body here? They check the dumpsters, they check everything."

Suddenly, and idea popped into Josie's mind. She pulled out the BIC lighter she always kept with her, flicking her thumb across the flint a few times to check its durability. It was a cheap thing she bought from the market a while back, just in case their fire ever went out. They made sure to always have a fire running in case something happened. They could burn the body to hide any evidence. But where? Josie knew it was sick to burn the dead body of a loved one, but they would be imprisoned for life if the Feds found out about this murder.

* * *

**Date: December 18th**

Her eyes darted back and forth rapidly, quickly scanning her surroundings. Desi and Roland had deserted the city, trekking into the outskirts of Upstate New York, staying in broken down houses and barns. They also had found a horse, which she quickly named Bristol. Roland had grudgingly agreed to let Desi keep the horse with them, we're they stored all their gear, food and supplies. Desi would ride the horse when she was extremely tired, Roland never exhausting in the time she had seen him. His feet must be blistered and bleeding by now.

They trotted on a snow packed dirt road, the smell of burning wood and pine trees. The large snow packed trees flanked them on all sides, obstructing their view from potential walkers. Bristol sighed, flipping his mane wildly from side to side. Desi had stolen a horse poncho from a deserted barn, most likely owned by Mexicans. The poncho was Aztec printed, the colors plum purple, dandelion yellow, dark black and indigo blue. She stuck out more than a sore thumb. Roland was slightly lagging behind, a grimace on his strong face.

"Hey, you can ride on Bristol. You won't look like a pussy, I swear." Desi tapped on his reins, making him slow to a stop.

"I'm fine, really." Roland ran a hand through his wavy brownish hair.

"C'mon, you aren't fooling me. This horse can go faster than we can, and we have to find a shelter. It's getting dark out."

Roland mumbled a comeback, before quickly mounting the front of the horse and taking the reins. Desi was hesitant about holding onto this man she had known for a weeks time, but his body heat was ridiculously hot. He was literally like a furnace. Desi knew a little bit about horses, being raised on a ranch in New Mexico gave her some insight. She hopped onto the back of the horse, wrapping her hands close to his hips. He double tapped on the reins, Bristol beginning to pick up speed. Snow became stinging sensations on her skin, and the wind became icy cold. The sky had began to darken, also, meaning they had to find shelter quick.

Roland quickly found an abandoned cave, where a camp of survivors obviously lived. There was gear, food, bottles of spring water, and bones. Lots, and lots of human bones. Desi had a feeling the people who lived here were either long past dead, or infected. But she didn't need to think about that right now. Roland had taken flint out of his shirt pocket, and was trying to light some damp sticks and wood logs that had been collected in a makeshift fire pit. Trash littered the grounds, some of the stuff more useful than others. The snow was pelting into the cave, sending shivers down Desi's spine.

"Here, you must me cold." Roland began to shrug out of his jacket.

"No, no. Keep it." Desi said between chattering teeth.

Roland snorted, refusing to budge. He placed his worn leather jacket around her shoulders, his scent musky and woodsy. Desi inhaled once more before slowly leading Bristol into the cave, placing her at the back of the cavern. She found large sheets of tarp, along with bungee cords and nails. She went outside, biting her lip as she thought. Desi could tie the tarps up so the cave was sheltered from wind and snow. The snow wasn't seeming to let up anytime soon, so she quickly got to work. It was much easier said than done. Desi had to climb sharp and slick rocks, cutting her hands up countless times. The end result, though, was definitely worth it. She had cut open a large hole in the top so air could come through, and they had a peephole.

Roland had transformed the inside by the time she had gotten in. Rocks were set around a crackling fire pit, where two sleeping bags were laid out opposite of each other. Bristol was tied up in the back to a jutting edge of the rock, one of their blankets was draped around her large body. For once since the world went to hell, Desi felt... Safe. She sat down next to the fire, looking at Roland. A blush crept up her neck, something she didn't understand. Why was she feeling something towards this man she met a week ago? She didn't know much about him, nothing other than his name and a little bit of past.

"Do you have a family?" Roland asked, sitting across the fire from her.

"None that I'm close to anymore. Other than my brother, that is." Desi shifted a little bit on her seat.

"Do you know If he's still, you know, here?" Roland looked up at her, smiling slightly.

"No, but I have a feeling he is. His names Nicholas. Last time I heard from him, he was heading to Savannah to find a guy who owed him money. I'm trying to find him, I have something he needs."

"I had a family, too. I was settling down with a girl, but she changed. She became, well, something I didn't like. A girl infatuated with looks and being beautiful. But sometimes, girls aren't made pretty, they're born pretty."

He met her eyes with such a fierceness, such a compassionate look, she felt a stirring in her stomach. Something she had never felt before. He moved over so he was sitting mere inches away from her, his hand lightly brushing across her cheek bone. She felt a smile whisper across her lips, along with a tingling sensation in her feet. Then, his lips brushed along hers, soft and delicate as the skin of an apple.

"You call that a kiss?" Desi whispered.

* * *

**Date: December 19th**

Scarlett woke up in the early morning, knowing something was wrong. Something didn't feel right. Her hands immediately flew to her precious child, feeling for a kick or stir in her womb. Nothing. But as she shifted her hips to swivel out of bed, a hot flash of pain struck her in the abdomen, a scream slipping through her lips. Her hands groped at her waist line, a sticky, hot liquid smearing on her hands. Blood.

"Phoenix!" Scar rasped, her heart panicking.

Feet slapped against the wooden floor, a wide eyed Phoenix leaning in the doorframe. "What happened!"

"I'm... I'm having a miscarriage."

-2 hours later-

Scarlett's eyes fluttered open, a sharp smell crinkling her nose. It smelled like rubbing alcohol and a hint of rust, like the smell of hot blood. A television droned in the background, a news channel playing with military officials reporting on the east coast. Phoenix was asleep, her head resting on her hand as she snoozed in a plastic waiting chair. A face, familiar yet almost forgotten, also appeared in her vision. The injured man she had saw on the bridge months ago. Louis. What was he doing here?

Her hands flew to her stomach, instead feeling a taut and non pregnant stomach. Her heart sunk and shattered, a strangled cry ringing out of her ragged throat. Where was her baby? She knew the odds of a three month old stillborn was very high, but that was the only thing that was left of Nick. Her soulmate, the one she wanted to grow old with and have many more children together. And he would never get to lay eyes on the beautiful fetus that they had created together.

"Scarlett, you're awake." Louis whispered, getting up out of his seat.

He looked generally unchanged from when she had first met him. He had changed his clothes to a simple gray shirt and brown pants, and his leg looked to be fully recovered. His eyes looked somewhat excited and alive, but large dark circles underneath them suggested otherwise. How long was she out for?

"I lost my baby." Scarlett hoarsely whimpered.

"He was very sick, Scar. He was born an infected child." Louis came and kneeled next to the bed, stroking her knotted black hair.

Tears slipped out of Scarlett's cool ice blue eyes, dripping on her hospital gown and onto the off white covers. The sobs quickly woke up Phoenix, who jumped in bed alongside her, and cried too. Scar knew she wanted a little brother or sister to protect, to teach how to hunt and survive. Phoenix clung to Scarlett, her whole body shaking around the delicate girl. How dare god take this marvelous baby from them?

"Deus salua nos omnes." Phoenix shakily prayed, her eyes catching Scar's.

"Since... Since when did you learn Latin?" Scar asked through sticky tears.

"Keith."

The three stayed in silence, other than the sniffling and sobs that echoed throughout the room. Louis had turned off the TV before quietly excusing himself. He didn't know Scar and Phoenix that well, after all. Phoenix had fallen back into a pitiful nap, her hands wrapped around Scarlett's waist. Scar ran her hand through Phoenix's golden red hair, untangling the knots and frizz as she continued to cry. After about an hour in silence, a doctor came in, lab coat and all.

"Hello, Scarlett. I know you're in a... Fragile state right now, but you need to know some things before we discharge you." He sat down in a squeaky plastic chair.

"Go on." Scarlett sniffled.

"Your baby, he shouldn't of died. But the disease from the paternal side had already eaten away at his insides, and he wouldn't of survived more than a few minutes outside the womb if given birth at, say, thirty seven weeks. Right now, you are in Zone One, since the operation needed for you couldn't of been done at Zone Five right now."

"So my baby was infected?" Scarlett's words broke at the end of the sentence.

"Yes. The father, he resides in Zone Two, correct?" The doctor began to scribble down something.

"Uh huh. Umm, I have a question, doctor."

"Go ahead, Mrs. Purrin."

"When will telephone lines be restored?"

"Not for a long while, Ms. Purrin.

The doctor left the room, leaving Scar and Phoenix to sleep a little bit longer. It was just beginning to turn light outside, which meant it was a perfect time to sleep. Phoenix could miss school and return tomorrow, and Scar was sure Flame could last a day without the care of 'nix. But what about Louis? Was he a carrier or immune? Obviously they wouldn't let carriers come into contact with immune people, but something inside her wished they would. Because she would find Nick in a heartbeat.

Or would she?


	4. Crumbling Lies Pt 1

**Sorry for the über long wait, It took me longer than expected to write this. This chapter has a lot more action than the previous chapters, and the Zones are beginning to crumble. **

**Well, enough wait, here is the next chapter.**

**Nikki**

_Scarlett awoke early in the morning, the boat rocking slightly as waves lapped under it. Nick was still fast asleep under her, seeing as though she was nuzzled up next to him. They had just been rescued from the horrible hurricane that plauged Ducatel, and she could feel the soreness and aches in her body from the run. The sun had just began to arise, and dull light streamed through the one open window Scarlett had refused to keep closed. It had become too muggy the first night the couple slept together._

_"Nick." She whispered, slowly sitting up. She was still in her lacy black bra and underwear._

_His nose scrunched up a little bit, before he blinked a few times and woke up. Scarlett smiled dopily at him, pecking him on the lips. It was the first time in a while that she had felt bound to a guy. Or at least, mentally bound to someone. He smiled back at her, before pulling Scar back onto his chest._

_"Good morning, sweetheart."_

_"Don't call me that."_

_"And why not?" He retorted, kissing her messy black hair._

_"Because. It's too girly and shit." They laughed._

_It took Scarlett another half hour to drag Nick out of the bed, seeing as though every time she tried to get up, he pulled her back into a kiss. It's not like she didn't mind it, but her stomach was growling like crazy. She was okay with cooking, her and her Dad usually preferred home cooked meals to going out. She pulled on Nick's dirty dress shirt, noticing the two bloody hand prints she had made fell right across her breasts._

_"That's hot." Nick snorted, getting a well deserved grimace._

_They crept out of the bedroom, the wooden door creaking slightly against the linoleum floor. Serenity was the only other one up, who was sitting at a dining table, her eyes buried in a book she had found while ransacking the Ducatel houses. Nathan and Phoenix were sleeping a tad too close for Scarlett's liking, one of his hands wrapped subconsciously across her waist. Ellis was next to Josie, (No question there) and Coach was leaning against the faux wood wall, cradling his shotgun like a pillow._

_Serenity looked up at the couple, smirking slightly at the sight of her half naked boyfriend. Scarlett narrowed her eyes, wanting to punch that look right off the child's face. Nick was hers. He seemed smitted with the look of jealousy on Scar's face, wrapping his arm reassuringly around her waist. Scar didn't hate the chestnut haired girl, but she wasn't making it easy to like her. Scarlett fetched some sandwitches from Virgil's refrigerator, a wide smile coming to her lips as her eyes met with the bottle. A full bottle of Ketel One. She pulled the bottle out by its neck, flashing it to her boyfriend._

_"Look what I found!" She sang, bringing it over to Nick._

_"Damn, I need some vodka right about now." he began to twist the neck open._

_Scarlett hissed and took the bottle away. "No drinking before noon."_

_"Damn, since when have you became a trophy wife?" He smirked._

_"Oh, shut up you twat." The two heard from behind them._

_Phoenix was sitting up, her light grey eyes squinted into slits. Her fire red hair was tousled and sticking up, even though it fell to the back of her knees._

_"Scar?"_

**Date: December 20th**

"Scar!"

She flicked her eyes open, annoyed at the voice who woke her up from her dream. A social worker had appeared in the room, along with Phoenix and Louis. Louis had been the one to wake her, and she silently cursed him. But then, reality washed over her. Her baby was dead. Nick was most likely gone forever. A frown settled on her chapped lips, Scarlett shifting in the uncomfortable hospital bed.

The social worker looked to be in her thirties, with buttery blonde hair and warm blue eyes. The polar opposite of Scarlett's eyes. Nick had told her they reminded him of a husky. She snorted at the memory. The girl wore a Chardonnay colored blouse, with a black pencil skirt way too short for a social worker. She held a clipboard and pen in her hands, along with a chunky wedding ring adorning her ring finger.

"Sorry to wake you so early, Mrs. Purrin. I'm afraid there's been some news delivered to us involving your fiancée."

Scarlett's heart faltered. "What happened?" She squeaked.

"He is in the psychiatric ward right now, just down the hall. He was admitted here after trying to kill himself last night, Mrs. Purrin." She tapped on the clipboard.

"What?" Scarlett gasped. "Is he okay?"

"Now that he is in our care, yes."

"Am I aloud to see him?"

"I'm afraid not. You are still very weak, and susceptible to disease."

"Look, can you, like, give us some privacy?" Phoenix snapped.

"Phoenix." Louis chided.

"Sure. You two know where to find me."

As soon as the social worker left, Scarlett bursted into tears. This week had gone from normal to depressing. Nick must of heard the news of her miscarriage, along with the news of DJ's death. That had shaken Scar a little bit, seeing as though she was somewhat close to the teenager. Serenity must of been pretty upset, too. Phoenix and Louis were mumbling to each other, words Scarlett didn't understand. It aggravated her that they weren't involving her in the conversation.

"Scarlett. Louis has the best idea." Phoenix turned to her, her eyes glinting.

"And what is that?" Scarlett sniffled.

"Tonight, you're sneaking out. To find Nick."

Scarlett smiled softly at his name, wiping her tears away from her face. Louis explained the plan, seemingly easy. He had scoped out the hospital when Scar was asleep, coming to the conclusion that it wasn't guarded heavily. The only guards held small pistols and little ammunition. They only guarded the doors that went kept carriers away from immune people. Louis had stolen a key card, a small pocket knife, a nurses outfit and identification card. The plan seemed almost foolproof. Phoenix would keep guard at her room, locking it from the inside and turning the machines off until Scarlett returned.

"Thank you so much Louis." Scarlett whispered.

"Let's just say I'm returning a favor." He smiled.

"Speaking of Rayford, do you know where Zoey and Francis are?" The subject may have been delicate, but Louis didn't show it.

"They made it to the Keys like promised. But they met with a military cargo ship while I was with them, and forced me to get medical attention. I would of died without these people's help. But now I'm trapped in Zone Zero. I'm an intern here, actually."

"I'm sorry you got separated from them. But shouldn't you be trying to break out of here also?"

"I'm immune."

Scarlett shook her head, letting out a sigh.

They spent the rest of the day troubleshooting their master plan, along with Louis stealing a map from the cafeteria. The carriers were on this level, literally fifty feet from her room. This was going to be a piece of cake. Scarlett still felt a little weak as the sun went down, pretending to sleep as her nurse checked on her. Louis and Phoenix hid in the bathroom, since visitor hours were long since over.

"You ready, sweetheart?" Louis asked

She winced at his words. It sounds like something Nick would say. "Yes."

Phoenix unplugged the IV monitor, the screen going black. Her heart monitor began to speed up at the thought of seeing Nick. Nick was her everything. She yanked the sticky monitors off her chest, watching that screen also go black. Louis turned around as Scar changed into the nurses outfit, Scarlett noticing a puckering scar trailing up her abdomen. She almost broke out in tears.

"Hey." Phoenix cupped her palms around Scar's cheeks. "Don't cry."

"I'm okay." Scar swallowed a sob.

"Here's your ID, map, knife and key card. Use the weapon only when needed, okay? We don't want any blood showing up on the security tapes, okay?" Louis straightened a card pinned on her left breast.

Scar wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him into a hug. "Thank you."

With one last look, her and Louis silently creeping out of the room. Louis was going to distract the guards by shooting a revolver at a light, giving Scar enough time to sneak into the carrier section. He held a finger up to his full lips, signaling absolute silence. He then aimed for a light, and shot a single bullet.

"Go!"

Scarlett began to trot, enduring the pain that her surgery had cost her. In her bed, she was supplied with an unlimited amount of Percocet and OxyContin, but now she was really starting to feel the wrath of an open surgery. Her stomach burned, and her legs ached from not standing for so long. Two guards rushed past her, oblivious to her. All they cared about was the gunshot. She found the locked metal doors into the carrier ward, which had a keycard lock. She quickly slid the card into the lock, pushing the door open.

She saw Nick at the other end of the hall. Or his room, that is. Louis had told her he was in the psychiatric ward, room 103 to be exact. She ran with all her force, cutting up her barefoot feet on the linoleum. She slid her keycard into his room, putting in the exact numbers needed to enter.

She didn't realize there were two guards behind her.

"Ma'am, you know visiting patients this late at night is strictly forbidden. And where are your shoes?" The man said, his british accent sounding tense and flustered.

"Oh! I must of forgotten, silly me. My heel had broken on my shoe, so I just decided to go barefoot." She faked a perfect Russian accent.

"Well, just please remember next time."

"Hold up, Simon." The second guard said. "I don't remember having a Russian nurse here. What is your name?"

"Lewis! Where are your manners!" Simon scoffed.

"Umm, I was just checking on this patient to make sure his vitals were stable, that is all." Scarlett slurred slightly.

"See, Lewis. This girl means no harm." Simon smiled at Scar.

Simon and Lewis walked on his way, an UMP45 slung on Lewis' back, a Sniper rifle on Simon's. Why did they have such large weapons on their back? She sighed anyways, rocking on the balls of her feet. As much as she wanted to run in his room and make sweet love to him, something made her... Hesitant. From what she had heard from Serenity, (She had received a letter in the mail a few days before miscarrying.) Nick was off his rocker. He had gone back to drinking, and barely spoke a word.

Scarlett didn't know what to do.

That's when the cold needle was jabbed in her shoulder, and the world went black.

**Date: January 17th, 2013.**

The pair walked down the cobblestone paved streets of Reno, the sunlight somewhat warming her chestnut hair. It was a lot colder there nowadays, hardly getting up into the fifties. The streets were dusted with a thin coat of snow, along with the danger of black ice. A fresh batch of soldiers lined main street, their assault rifles glossy and black. The guns looked new and fresh, unlike the ones Serenity had used in the past. The past that still haunted her.

Scout had his arm wrapped tightly around her lithe waist, more for protection than a sign of affection. The two weren't in a serious relationship just yet, but she enjoyed his company. After all, Serenity did owe Scout for nearly killing him. The soldiers were delivering letters to loved ones, Serenity knowing she'd have to retrieve some for Ellis and Nick. Nick had returned from the loony bin just yesterday, still somewhat depressed that he hadn't seen Scarlett. He swore he woke up from a dream to see her in his room, but Ellis said it was probably all the medication he was drugged up with.

A familiar face struck out in the crowds of soldiers. His eyes were also focused on Serenity, a small smile placed upon his thin lips. Was that Jakob? Jakob Peterson? Jakob was a cousin of hers, someone she had met him months before going off to college, in a bar located somewhere near Tampa, Florida. They had figured out that Serenity's dad had a brother, who was Jakob's father. He did look somewhat like her, the matching chocolate colored eyes and hair.

"Scout, I have to talk with someone." Serenity said, pointing her eyes at Jakob.

Serenity saw Scout gulp nervously. Jakob was build like a tank, with a strong resemblance to Channing Tatum when he was in the movie Magic Mike. His eyes were cold and calculating, his hands capable of snapping necks and breaking bones. Serenity had seen him knock the shit out of a guy who stole her purse the night they had met.

"Don't worry." She giggled. "He's my cousin. I think."

Scout breathed a sigh of relief. Sure, he was also very skilled and muscular, he was also on the lean side. He didn't have bulging biceps. He was stealthier and more calculating. Serenity nudged him playfully in the ribs, walking over to Jakob with Scout in tow. She felt his arm tighten slightly around her waist. She pretended not to notice or care.

"Serenity, is that you?" Jakob asked.

"Sure is! How did you get out of Tampa? Where's Cecilia and Bethany?" She asked, pulling out of Scout's arm to hug him.

"Umm." He rubbed his neck. "They didn't get out alive. A whole clan of those scrawny little bastards with claws attacked our house. Grabbed my shotty and made a run for it."

"Oh. I'm sorry for your loss. This is Scout, my umm-"

"Boyfriend." Scout finished.

"Yeah, my boyfriend." Serenity agreed, shooting a pointed look back at him. Where the hell was he going with this?

"Nice to meet you, son." Jakob held out a firm hand, which Scout tentatively shook. "Do anything to my cousin here, and you'll be in a world of hurt."

Serenity laughed off the threat, watching the two men silently stare down. She watched as Jakob pulled a stack of letters open, flicking a single letter addressed to her. The sender? Derrick Jones. Shit. She smiled softly at the handwritten address, the indents where he had pushed the pen a little bit too hard against the paper.

"Do you have letters for Ellis and Nick? I live with them." Serenity asked, folding the letter up and putting it in the back pocket of her jeans. Jakob handed her four letters, two for Ellis and two for Nick. She could tell the difference in handwriting, Scarlett's was big and bubbly, while Josie's was more scribbled, abstract. Serenity firmly thanked Jakob, giving him her apartment number if he ever needed a place to crash. He nodded coldly, but his eyes seemed to glint a little bit. Maybe he really had hope.

"He seemed like a total dick." Scout spat when they were out of his earshot.

"He's a lot like Nick. Or Scarlett." Serenity mused.

"Scarlett?" Scout raised an eyebrow.

"She's Nick's fiancée. Scarlett was an immune, so she got split up as well. Didn't really show her feelings much." Serenity sighed. "Same with a Josie."

"Go on." Scout said as they entered a small thrift shop.

"Her and Ellis are dating. She thinks she's so cool because she came from Australia and can chug a six pack without getting shit faced. Her hair reminds me of a dyke." Serenity finished, bitterness aparent in her voice.

"Looks like someone's jealous." Scout whistled.

"I am not!" Serenity protested. "Fine. Maybe just a little bit. But I have you, I guess."

Scout grinned, showing off his adorable bottom tooth that overlapped. It reminded her of Ezra Fitz, the hot teacher that Aria hooked up with in the book she's been reading. Pretty Little Liars was kinda her sweet escape nowadays. The small main street had a library that Serenity practically lived in when she wasn't with Scout or tending to the needs of the elder men. They were like two old men when it came to them fighting.

Ellis was always optimistic about when he'd get to see Josie again. Nick, Nick was a whole different case. Serenity knew he was convinced he'd never get to see Scarlett again. Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. The group honestly couldn't pry the two off each other. At least with Josie and Ellis, they muted their feelings around others. Maybe Serenity was just jealous.

"Check this out." Scout pulled Serenity out of her thoughts.

He wore the most ridiculous hat, that had a peacock design runnning throughout the wide brimmed farmers cap. It looked like something her grandma would wear or something. Serenity sputtered out a laugh, watching as Scout struck a supermodel-esque pose, sticking out his ass. Serenity loved how immature he was. But he wasn't like Ellis, not at all. Serenity admitted to herself that she might have a small crush on him. But he was younger than her. That was a deadly sin to her.

"That's hot." Serenity giggled.

A bottle blonde sat at the front desk, snapping her gum and reading through an old magazine. Money wasn't used a lot, only to those who were thoughtful enough to bring some along. Serenity knew that Scar had a wad of cash in her backpack, and Nick showed her a few hundreds that Scar had given him. He refused to use any of them, though. Once they bought something, the cashier would write their name down and put it on a tab. You then have to work. Usually, it's an day or so working as a cashier or cleaning weapons in exchange for a months supply of food. Luxury items cost more.

Serenity found a knit black and cherry red scarf, and quickly bought it. She had found a lot of cute clothes that had been spared from blood stains and dirt. She wore a black felt trench coat over a pair of glittery jeans. She had seen them in a display case in the mall before the infection started. She wrapped the knit scarf around her neck, feeling the cool skin start to warm. Scout had also bought a sweatshirt that had a diamond logo on it, something the guys used to wear at her high school.

"Would you like me to walk you home, madam?" Scout asked in a faux French accent.

"Why that would be wonderful!" Serenity exclaimed in a gauzy accent.

The walk to her apartment was fitfully short. Scout lived on the opposite side of the Zone, and Serenity insisted to him that she could walk him home. But the headstrong teenager refused.

"I don't want you to get hurt." He repeated.

"It's an extra hour. My legs need stretching anyways."

"Serenity, Nick needs you. Hell, those two are probably at it again."

"Oh shit, you're right!" Serenity's eyes widened.

She pulled him into a hug, wrapping her hands around his neck. She felt his strong arms wrap around her waist, carefully squeezing her. She felt something stir inside her stomach. Like the balloons that were keeping her afloat suddenly snipped away, instead having this man keep her above water. She hasn't told anyone about her drug problem.

"Bye, Serenity." He whispered into her ear.

"Bye."

It started once she was being tested in Zone Zero. The doctor had prescribed her Codine, which he said was for a broken rib. Serenity soon got hooked on the drug after the pain became so much more than physical. Derrick had died. Nick was going insane. Ellis was no longer the happy, loopy boy everyone loved to hate. She couldn't let herself fall like they did. She would rather be numb than feel pain. So she began to pop pills. She forged the doctors signature, going to the small pharmacy and depleting their stocks. Serenity loved the high of the drug, and she couldn't pull herself away.

She twisted the door handle, the smell of pizza wafting into her nostrils. Ellis was cooking pizza and bacon, dancing around the kitchen with a spatula. An old college football rerun was on. Arizona and Michigan. Serenity didn't quite care for football, to be honest. Nick was sitting at the dining table, shuffling a deck of cards in cool ways. She pulled her fluffy grey boots off at the door, inhaling. This almost seemed... Normal. Like the way a family would behave before the apocalypse.

"Well. Isn't this a mighty surprise." Serenity stated, putting her boho purse down on the coffee table.

"Ain't it?" Ellis whistled.

"I have something for you guys. Letters."

Serenity pulled out the neatly folded letters, throwing Ellis' to him. He of course opened Josie's first. Nick looked somewhat excited as Serenity walked over and placed the letters on the table, a mumbled "thanks" coming from his mouth. Nick slunk to his bedroom, his eyes bright and his head somewhat higher. Serenity sat on the comfy couch, pulling her legs up to sit in a criss crossed fashon. She opened the letter, and inhaled before continuing.

Dear Serenity,

_I don't have much time to write this. I know something I'm not supposed to know. I wanted to tell you because I need to keep you safe. Even if we didn't work out, I'll still have feelings for you. The Zone's aren't stable. The military is planning on sending a nuclear bomb out to the east coast to get rid of the infected. They are going to start finding soliders to go out and not return. Burn this letter once you read it. If the government finds out you're reading this... Good luck. Please, don't let my death be in vain. You have to run away. Get the others and find a man named David Pleasant. He lives in Sacremento, California. He has a boat. Take the boat and go to Alaska. It's safe over there. Everyone is immune._

_Take care, Serenity. I love you._

_Derrick._

* * *

_ **Anyone notice the yogscast reference? No? Okay. :( i named the two security guards after two famous Youtube'rs that play minecraft a lot. Oh, and I found a really good zombie apocalypse book that is becoming a movie. It's called "Warm Bodies" by Issac Marion. Check it out. Happy Holidays! I might post a one shot special for Christmas if you'd like. 5 reviews until next chapter. **_

_**Love and Hugs, **_

_**Nikki**_


	5. News! (And part of CL pt 2)

**Sorry for the tease, but I have some really important news to share with you on the topic of this story. I will continue writing this as promised, but most likely once a month or less frequent. I know, I know, don't start crying just yet. I bring good news. Startthis on Christmas Day, I will be publishing a new Left For Dead novella. This one has something to do with the world of Zone Five and Georgia Rose, and is focused during the time of Philadelphia's demise. Please feel free to private message me if you would like any more information. The name of the new story is TBA.**

**Thanks for all of your support, and as an added (early) Christmas gift, here is a preview of next chapter.**

**Nikki **

Darkness

It was like a black wool blanket had been thrown over her head, turning all visions into the deep vortex of nothingness. She felt the cover grow tighter, beginning to strangle her as it smothered her. Voices swirled around in her head, most of them sounding worried and tense. She couldn't pick out who was who. The darkness intensified. Gunshot, vibrating noises that made her flinch. Her body was tired, slackened as someone grabbed her roughly. More voices. Gruff, taunting ones that she had never heard before.

"She should be awake now!" A voice called.

"They gave her too much. She might not come out of this." Another male said.

"What do you mean? You have to help her!" A feminine voice called.

"We're doing the best we fucking can!"

Helicopter blades whirring against wind. The smell of gasoline and wheat. She began to smell again, the scent of perspiration and death looming around her. Something was not right. Her hands began to grasp something, what was the cold metal of the helicopter. She began to feel things. To almost see things. Blurs of cold color. She could smell blood all around her. Then, she could open her eyes.


	6. Crumbling Lies Pt 2

**Happy (Almost) Christmas everyone! I hope your holiday season is wonderful! I'm sorry for the short chapter, but on Christmas Day, I'll be launching a Zone Five companion piece named "Hostage". Please make sure you read it too, as it is essential to understanding a new charactor coming into the story. Also, please make sure to review. Even a simple thumbs up would be nice:) well, anyways, enjoy!**

**Love and Hugs,**

**Nikki**

Darkness.

It was like a black wool blanket had been thrown over her head, turning all visions into the deep vortex of nothingness. She felt the cover grow tighter, beginning to strangle her as it smothered her. Voices swirled around in her head, most of them sounding worried and tense. She couldn't pick out who was who. The darkness intensified. Gunshot, vibrating noises that made her flinch. Her body was tired, slackened as someone grabbed her roughly. More voices. Gruff, taunting ones that she had never heard before.

"She should be awake now!" A voice called.

"They gave her too much. She might not come out of this." Another male said.

"What do you mean? You have to help her!" A feminine voice called.

"We're doing the best we fucking can!"

Helicopter blades whirring against wind. The smell of gasoline and wheat. She began to smell again, the scent of perspiration and death looming around her. Something was not right. Her hands began to grasp something, what was the cold metal of the helicopter. She began to feel things. To almost see things. Blurs of cold color. She could smell blood all around her. Then, she could open her eyes.

"Scar?" A warm voice called.

She tried to talk, but her voice was gone. No sound came out. Her throat was so tight and chapped. Scarlett was laying on a ratty old blanket, her hands grasping at the metal floor of the helicopter cabin. Two military soldiers were stationed with them, along with a small group of nurses, and patients. The helicopter was huge. Scarlett tried to gulp, her throat touching together and making her cough.

"Here. Drink this." A nurse handed something to her. She gulped down the water.

Blood was caked on her tattered clothes, which consisted of a black winter coat, nylon running pants and lace up combat boots. She could feel a too tight bra chafing underneath it. Someone had changed her, most likely Phoenix. She was sitting next to Scar, a worried look on her also bloodied face.

"What.. Happened?" Scarlett coughed.

"Everything's overrun. The infected got past the Mississippi." Phoenix replied ominously.

Scarlett responded with widening her eyes. She new that showing fear was against her morals, but an overwhelming sense of dread was felt through the cabin. Scarlett's mind then wandered to the rest of their team. Where were they evacuated to? What about Nick? Oh god.

"Do you know where they are evacuating us?" Scarlett whispered hoarsely to Louis.

"Somewhere up in Canada. Least, that's what they're telling us." Louis shrugged.

"Are all of the Zones gone?" Scarlett felt questions bubbling up.

"Yes. Oh shit! We left Flame in 5. Serenity is going to kill me." Phoenix groaned.

"Don't worry about him. The infected only eat humans, 'member?" She responded.

"Still, Serenity's going to skin me alive. That was like her little baby."

"You can probably find another one. We need to think about staying alive, not about them." Scarlett's voice cracked.

"But-" Phoenix started.

"Shh. Don't think about them, think about surviving." Louis cut her off.

A nurse came over to the trio, and handed them scarce morsels of food. They ate in a comfortable silence, eavesdropping on the other panicked survivors. Some talked about rebellion, or the glee of holding a weapon again. Those people consisted of headstrong bikers and snarky females. Most of them, though, just stayed silent. They were just as scared as she was.

"Do you ever think this is going to end?" Phoenix asked after she finished her food.

"What?" The question caught her off guard.

"The whole 'Zombie apocalypse shit.'"

"The only way we stand a fighting chance is with a cure." Louis answered for her.

"Or they all starve to death." Scarlett added.

"But what if they don't? If we die out first, for example. What do you think would happen?" Phoenix pressed.

"Maybe they would cure themselves. It's a long shot, but if all the humans disappear, they could morph back." Scarlett pursed her lips as she thought.

"Or life as we know it would be destroyed forever." Louis mumbled

"That's most likely going to happen." Phoenix whined slightly, rocking on her knees.

"Don't think like that, 'Nix. Get some rest, okay? It's getting dark." Scarlett nodded to the dimming lights, signaling the night.

"Okay. Promise you won't leave?"

"Promise."

Scarlett didn't sleep. She stayed up through the 'night', sitting up with her arms wrapped around her knees. Snores and sniffles filled the cabin, along with a few shuffling of nurses' feet. Louis finally succumbed to slumber, his body rock still and quiet as he slowly slept.

She didn't know how long passed, whether it be minutes or hours, but her subconscious mind made her think about him again.

_"What the hell?" The man breathed._

_"why were you in my way?" Scarlett said back, pointing her gun warily._

_"Doll, I wasn't in your way." The man smirked._

_She warily sized him up, starting with the suit. White and blue, no doubt coming from somewhere he needed to dress up. Maybe a casino. Yeah, a casino was right. He had a_ _strong jaw, with black stubble lining his face. He had thin, but masculine lips, a ski slope nose, and emerald green eyes. He held an assault rifle. Nothing special, other than the fact he was holding it wrong._

_"I'm not going to bite." He said sarcastically, bringing his eyes to her face._

_"I hope not. I'm Scarlett, the badass bitch your lucky to meet."She cocked an eyebrow_

_"Nick. Badass bitch, huh?"He winked, making her insides slosh._

_"Do you have teammates?" Scarlett asked._

_"I got three. You?" He made a face._

_"Two." She replied, looking at her feet._

_"There's a safe room up ahead, maybe they're close by." Nick grumbled._

_"I doubt it. Probably lighting shit on fire." She stifled a laugh._

_"Ahh. So they're rednecks?" He scoffed._

_"Unfortunately. Jonathan and Tyler. War vet and a dumbshit teenager." Scar groans, padding up the stairs._

_"We gotta dumbshit, names Ellis." he responds by pointing his gun at the group._

_"He doesn't look like one." Scar said, cocking her head._

_"Trust me, he is." Nick popped his jaw._

_"Are you going to introduce me or what?" Scarlett snapped._

_"Well, I didn't bring you up here just to look." he snapped back_

Scar lowly chuckled at the memory of their first encounter, remembering how much of a bitch she was back then. How much he had changed her from then. Her eyes were flecked with salty tears, her fingers tracing the engagement ring he had given her. The flashbacks were almost to much to bear right now. Escaping the mall. Meeting Phoenix. Saving Josie from the Whispering Oaks amusement park. Defying death countless times. All of the memories connected to his face, his laugh.

Something made her jump out of the thoughts. The helicopter jumped up and down, before a metallic screech filled the cabin. Lights went completely out. People were screaming. Scarlett's heart dropped as the helicopter did, knowing this was going to be it. This was her deathbed. The helicopter was going to crash, and kill everyone on board. Never being much of a religious girl, (her mother raised her as a Catholic, but she stuck to her Dad's Lutheran views) Scarlett grasped Phoenix and Louis' hands in the darkness.

"God, please have mercy on us. Please make this as painless as possible."

And that's when the helicopter crashed.

* * *

Perspiration dripped off the cave's walls, the droplets splattering on the ice cold floor. Desi was mesmerized, the snow beginning to melt from the heat of the fire inside. They had kept the tarp over the opening, mainly since about a foot of snow was falling nightly. It was probably about eight at night, and she could hear the shuffling of dead feet against snow crystals. Bristol exhaled slightly as she chewed on a few strands of dried grass, her beautiful snow white tale moving back and forth. She was a beautiful Clydesdale, at least sixteen hands across.

Roland was poking at the roasting logs absentmindedly, the fire crackling and spitting out grey smoke. His hair was astray, his eyes darker and less optimistic. They had been stuck in the cave for at least a week, and supplies were running out. Desi prayed the snow storm would let up for a few hours so they could gather resources. Desi sat across from him, his jacket draped around her body. She was freezing, and Roland refused to let her be cold.

"When do you think this storm will thaw out?" She asked, watching his eyes flick up to hers.

"Soon, I hope. Bristol's getting antsy, and I can't stand staying put for this long."

"Neither."

The awkwardness could be cut with a butter knife. After the kiss, Roland had been different around her. Desi couldn't understand why he was acting so strange around her. He would only sleep close to her when the night was at its coldest, and only speak to her if spoken to. Desi got up with a huff, pushing his jacket off her body. He looked at her with a somber expression as she turned to look outside.

"Are you okay?" He whispered.

"I should ask you the same thing, Roland." Desi responded.

"Look-" Roland started.

"Did I do something? You're ignoring me, and you're acting like I'm a stranger or something. Shit, I dunno." Desi threw her hands in the air for emphasis.

"Des, it's not you! It's just that, I like you, okay? A lot. And it's weird, because I only met you like two weeks ago." Roland blurted.

Desi sighed, sitting back down next to Roland. "Then why didn't you tell me?"

"I dunno." Roland put his head in his hands.

"You don't have to be scared of me, Rol. The only person worse than me is my brother." She laughed.

"I dunno if thats reassuring." Roland laughed back, nudging her slightly. "Tell me more about him."

"My brother?" Desi coughed. "Umm, okay. Nick was the typical ladies man in high school. We were two years apart, so I basically knew all about him. He sold drugs, had sex, and practically did all the things he was taught not to. Then, he moved to Vegas and never saw my parents again. I visited him once in a while, I lived in Denver, but he always had a girl or two hanging off of him."

"Well, I'm not like him." Roland wrapped his arm around her waist.

"But he genuinely cared about people. Well, at least me. We spent all the holidays together, and when I got sick, he came and cared for me in the hospital."

"You got sick? What kind?" Roland asked..

Desi sighed awkwardly. He was probably going to be disgusted. "A while back ago, I had a boyfriend named Peter. He was kind of a sleaze, but we really loved each other. Nick obviously hated him, warning me that he was most likely going to kidnap me or murder me. One night, Peter and I got into a heated argument, and he tied me to a bed..." Desi gulped.

"You don't have to finish if this is uncomfortable." Roland reassured her.

"No, no. You need to know this. Peter raped me that night. He took away my virginity. And a few days later, I passed out at Nick's when he was out selling weed or something. He took me to the ER, and they found out I had contracted syphilis. Nick went berserk. But I wasn't upset about that, seeing as though it's curable. The STD had made my eggs infertile, and sterilized me." Desi slowly finished.

"Des, I'm so sorry this happened. Did Nick take care of him?" Roland wondered.

"Never heard from him again, so I'm guessing yeah. " Desi felt herself resting her head on his shoulder.

"Y'know, I'm really starting to like you." Roland grinned.

"Same here."

* * *

"Jockey!" Nathan called out as the infected leaped at him.

Josie finished it off for him, Nathan kicking the head in for good emphasis. Both of them ad hardly gotten out with their lives, let alone firepower. Nathan was lucky enough to find a Remington shotty, while Josie was stuck with a Desert Eagle and a nasty attitude. Josie had also found a fully gassed up Jeep Cherokee, which had supplies and food rations to last them a few weeks. They had driven northwards, following Derrick's plan to reunite the group, but had ran out of gas twenty miles from the Washington border.

"I have never seen a place so rainy!" Josie exclaimed, looking around.

Nathan grinned, slinging his shotgun around his back. The infected here were slightly younger, the skin not yet rotting off their bodies or turning a ghastly gray. They almost, almost looked like humans. A metallic red saferoom door glinted in the slick rain, thunder cracking above them. The storm sounded like it was going to get worse, and Nathan didn't want to get stuck in it. The duo climbed up into the saferoom, as it was built into a gigantic pine tree.

"I missed automatic weapons." Nathan sighed, looking at the guns that laid on the ground.

"Well, you're in luck then." Josie smirked, snapping a new clip into her magnum.

Nathan picked up a glossy M27 and put the nose sticking out of the door, and fired a few rounds. The infected were slower due to the massive amounts of rain pouring down on them, which gave Nathan better accuracy. Soon, all of the infected lay face down in a pool of their own blood. Josie snorted slightly as Nathan blew on the nose of his gun in emphasis, before slipping into the shadows of the room and falling asleep.

Nathan also sat down, but he couldn't fall asleep. His mind raced, thinking about everything... Especially her. Nathan wished he could see Phoenix again, so he could tell her exactly how he feels about her. Nathan saw himself falling harder and harder for the ginger haired child every day, and now he was almost as crazy as Nick to find her. Nathan had read the messages Ellis had sent to Josie. Besides from the vomit inducing love notes, Ellis spoke of Nick's attempt at suicide.

It was scary to hear that a man that tough and strong could succumb to all of this pain for a girl. Sure, Scarlett and Nick were so in love that it annoyed the shit out of Nathan, but both of them were his friends. Nathan remembered this one time when he had fallen off a rooftop and scratched up his knee, and how scared Scarlett seemed to be. Nathan blamed it on her maternal instinct.

And that's when he heard the helicopter whirring above the safehouse. His first instinct was to run outside and flag it down, but it didn't sound in prime condition. The sound got louder and louder until it was at least twenty feet away. Then, an explosion so loud Nathan swore it was right on top of him. The jolt woke Josie up.

"What in the name of-" Josie staggered up.

"A helicopter just crashed out there." Nathan stated the obvious.

"Shall we check for supplies, or what?" Josie looked out of the saferoom door.

"Is it safe? No walkers?" Nathan peered out behind her.

"Nope. C'mon, I bet we can find a survivor or two!" Josie hopped out of the room.

**Hmm, wonder who that could be!? :) hope you enjoy this simple chapter, please give me feedback! **

**Nikki**


	7. Reconcile pt 1

**Sorry for the late update. This chapter is short, but to the point. Scar and Nick finally find eachother! :3**

**Nikki**

**"Do you want to know the definition of insanity, Jason? It's doing the same fucking thing over and over again but expecting different results."**

**-Vaas, FC3**

She had her fare share of greeting death. It was inevitable, everyone had the same fate in the end. But now, she felt as if death would be the cowardly way out. That death would make the people around her suffer more than her. She knew the second the helicopter hit the water that the odds of all three of them surviving was slim. Now, as her body floated through the salty water, she finally accepted the inevitable. She was ready.

_She felt hot breath on her neck, along with the feeling of complete and utter emptiness. She groaned and pushed the body aside, seeing her blonde haired roommate sleeping next to her with a drunken look on her face. Scarlett groaned, pushing the sheets off of her and getting out of bed. Holly groaned, pulling a pillow over her head._

_"Why the hell are you in my bed?" Scarlett snapped._

_"Someone's in my room." She moaned through the pillow._

_"Are you kidding me? Get the fuck up." Scarlett pulled a black Led Zepplin tee over her bra._

_"No." Holly protested, turning over._

_Scarlett rolled her eyes and put on a pair of yoga pants, turning the light on in her room just to piss off Holly. Scar's room was her pride and joy, her escape from the real world. She painted the walls a deep cherry red, and her queen sized bed was onyx black. She had a record player in the far corner, along with stacks of old records. Her flat screen was pushed against the opposite side of her bed, along with numerous cords connecting her Xbox and playstation. Holly always complained about how goth it looked. Scarlett had hung a black chandelier for a light just to make her even more upset. _

_"Fine, I'll kick him out. You're welcome." Scarlett said sarcastically._

_"Love you." Holly sung._

_Scarlett shook her head, walking down the long hallway to Holly's room. The apartment was pretty big for what they were paying, and the landlord didn't care about them painting walls or changing the carpets. Scarlett knocked on the door lightly, hoping to get a response. Instead, she came face to face with a half naked man with acidic green eyes._

_"I was sent to come kick you out." Scarlett looked into his eyes, ignoring his naked form._

_"I was just leaving, don't worry." His lips pulled into a devilish smirk._

_"Well, that makes my job easier. Front doors unlocked." Scarlett turned on her heels, walking with him._

_"I should probably get dressed before I go out..." He trailed off._

_Scarlett answered by opening the door and gesturing for him to get out. He let out a dry laugh and walked out, waving a goodbye. Scarlett acknowledged it with a stiff nod before slamming the door. Scar licked her lips and took a deep breath, her body feeling sticky and tired. She walked into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee, along with opening a new pack of malbaro's and lit one. She opened the small window above the sink and took a drag, blowing the contents outside._

_"How many fucking times have I told you not to smoke in the house?" Scarlett heard Holly snap._

_"Well, good morning sleeping beauty." Scarlett laughed._

_"Not in the mood." She groaned, walking to the coffee pot and pouring a cup._

_"That guy was actually kinda hot, I've got to admit." Scarlett said while she also grabbed a cup._

_"Who, Nick?" She snorted, leaning against the counter._

_"Seeing him almost ass naked also was a positive." She teased._

_"He was also a positive in bed." Holly wagged her Carmel eyebrows._

_"Oh, really?" Scarlett said, her eyes flickering outside. They were on the seventh floor._

_"Sorry, is my sex life making you uncomfortable?" Holly teased, jabbing her in the ribs playfully._

_"No, not at all. I just forgot I have to go run some errands. Can I borrow your car?" Scarlett replied, her voice somewhere far off._

_"Yeah, sure. Keys are in my room." Holly almost never let her borrow her car._

_Scarlett put out her cigarette in the sink, getting a nasty look from Holly. She used the spare time to put her neck length hair up into a small ponytail. Holly's room was a mint green color, with a white duvet that was extremely comfortable. They would drag it out into the living room while watching a movie or playing Call of Duty. Her room was a mess of clothes and pillows, along with the familiar stench of sex. _

_Scar found the keys on her armoire, tripping over something as she did so. She let out a curse, falling ungracefully on her ass. She picked up the leather wallet, her head cocking to the side. She carefully opened it, a few business cards falling out onto her lap. It was the mans, Nick's. She pulled out his drivers license, his address printed in fine letters. Looks like she was going on a field trip. _

Her life was passing through her eyes, every memory and every feeling. Her courage was fading, along with the fire in her chest. She opened her eyes for one last time, feeling the saltwater sting her ice cold eyes. She saw a body coming closer to her, his eyes also open. His arms reached for her waist, while her body pushed away. She took one last glimpse at the man, before closing her eyes.

"No, no, no, no!" Someone was moaning that single syllable over and over.

"You need to let us bury the body, Nick." Another voice was sticky with tears.

"I'm not leaving her." The man responded bitterly.

"Nick! She's fucking dead, okay? It's wrong not to let her have a burial!" The girl was crying.

"Phoenix, are you crying?"

"Of course I'm crying! Scarlett is dead! Why the hell wouldn't I cry?" She spat at the man, a sob chocking her body.

"Hey, hey. C'mere." The man cooed.

She felt his hand clasping hers, yet his hand was like fire compared to hers. She grasped the hand harder, feeling his body tense. No, she wasn't dead. She wasn't going to go down this easy. He was immediately squeezing her hand, his tears of sadness changing to tears of joy. Scarlett opened her mouth slightly, letting out a small cough. Something was blocking her windpipe.

"Scarlett?" She heard Phoenix gasp.

Scarlett opened her eyes, feeling the whip of the wind stinging her face. She slowly turned her head to look at her second family, a smile pulling on her lips. She felt a surge of energy, and pulled herself into Nick's arms. He was back, but how? Scar swore he wasn't on the same plane as her, yet somehow he was here. Nick was pressing his lips to hers, crushing her body against his.

"Nick, ow." She whispered, another cough sputtering out of her lips.

"I can't believe I finally found you." He murmured.

"I'll give you two some alone time." Phoenix said awkwardly, getting out of the sand.

Scarlett felt sticky and dirty, sand clinging to her wet form. She was shaking, her lips blue and her hair slicked back. Nick was also wet, but he was still warm. Did Scar actually die? Or was it just a figment of their imaginations? Nick wrapped his arms around her whole body, as if she was a child. She shook into his body, finally feeling the aftershock of what just happened. Scarlett almost died right in front of her husband and her adopted child. She let her sobs out into his salty shirt, feeling him also sob into her neck. Why did she inflict so much pain into the people she loved?

"I'm so sorry." Scar cried into his shirt.

"You don't have to be sorry. You're here now, with me. And you're staying with me from now on."

Nick carried her back to the others when the sun began to dip into the salty ocean. They had come across a deserted campsite on the beach, which had been overrun. There were guns propped up against tents, and even a few cars parked around the camp in a circle. A fire was set up in the middle, along with camp chairs around it. People welcomed Scarlett with tears and happy laughs, along with a few new introductions. There were other people on their flight who survived.

"Scarlett! There you are!" Louis called, his eyes smiling along with his lips.

"Hey, Louis. How are you?" She responded softly.

"Cuts and bruises. Nothing big, though."

"That's good."

"Did you meet the others?"

Nick told her softly about the others while they walked to their tent. Rick, a man with hard brown eyes and a receding hairline. Shayne, a buff teenager with downy blonde hair and a dopey smile. Dannie, a woman in her mid forties with deep chestnut hair and light green eyes. Phoenix was sitting with a stocky boy in his mid twenties, who people called Tucker. There were a few others, but Nick said they had already retired for the night. He helped to undress her sandy clothes and hang them over their tent, along with cover her in a wool was cuddled up next to him in bed, feeling completely at ease. Everything felt back to normal, except for the fact Josie and Nathan were missing. Nick told her that Ellis was heartbroken because his girlfriend wasn't on the plane with Scarlett.

"Nick, can I ask you something?" Scarlett whispered, her hands wrapped around his face.

"Anything." He responded.

"Do you still love me?" She said softly, making sure that no one overheard.

"Why would you ever think I wouldn't?" He scoffed. "Of course I still love you."

"I don't know... I mean, we've been separated for almost half a year. People change." Scarlett ran a hand through his damp hair.

"What are you saying?" He asked.

"I'm not saying anything. I'm just so grateful that once again, you saved my life."

"You've saved my life, too. You're not always the damsel in distress." Nick snorted.

"When did I save your life?" Scar snorted.

"Hmm... Remember in the swamps when that charger threw me into the water?"

"Okay, that was one example." Scarlett snorted.

"Well, I guess I just have better luck than you." He smiled.

Scar stifled a yawn, her body arching like a cats. "Sorry."

"Don't be. Get some rest, you had a long day today."


	8. Reconcile Pt 2

**A/N Hey guys-**

**This is way overdue. I haven't been able to post due to the fact I have had some personal and family issues over the past three months. Don't worry, everything is fine now. I hope you all can forgive me and have some fun reading. Make sure to comment, favorite and follow! :)**

**Nikki**

* * *

The snow had melted long ago. The sun was still icy cool, but she no longer had to wear those clunky snow boots. She had shed her winter clothes for a simple black zip up hoodie, deep blue jeans, and a pair of climbing boots. Desiree and Roland had been traveling most of the winter, staying in old abandoned houses, barns, and even caves. Their trusty packhorse had been attacked and killed back in Virginia, but they kept their heads up. In three months, they had made it to Nevada. Roland had found an old Ford pickup that they had been riding in since the Carolinas.

"It's going to be hotter than hell here." Roland said absently.

"Even in May?" Desi sighed, looking out the dusty window.

"Nevada is extremely hot. Yeah." Roland's grip on the car was extremely tight.

"You okay?" She whispered, looking into his clear grey eyes.

Desi did admit she had some feelings for the war vet, but he didn't seem to give any back. He reminded her somewhat of her brother. Roland refused to show any weakness, and hid behind insults and acidic tones. He didn't respond to her question, obviously meaning he wasn't okay. She returned to staring out the window, the flat landscape boring her. Desi wished she had brought her Ipod with her, or at least charged it before leaving that fateful night.

She looked down into her lap, her bloodstained palms resting on the jeans she had looted awhile back. It seemed that one part of her body was always coated in blood or guts. Roland had cut open his leg awhile back on a pole he landed on, and Desi had to play nurse for a month. She had no idea how to treat even the most basic of cuts, let alone the gash he had created. They had come across two women who used to work at a hospital. They had graciously helped her keep the wound clean and even helped her stitch the wound together. Desi had to knock him out with chloroform.

"So what's the plan once we get in Vegas?" Desi broke the silence.

"I don't even know if we'll make it that far. It's going to be a clusterfuck in the city."

Desi sighed, agreeing silently.

The engagement ring hung around her neck, attached to a gold chain. It was a constant reminder of the ultimatum Nick's ex wife had given her. Desi didn't know her quite that well until she had showed up in her apartment with a bite wound. Her name was Tiffany, and she looked like a Victoria's Secret model. Long, flowing blonde hair and warm blue eyes. Her skin was golden brown from fake tan, and her face was coated in makeup she didn't need.

The ring was probably the most expensive thing Nick had ever blown a stack on, and Tiffany didn't want it to go to waste. As she was turning, her shaky hands had placed the ring in Desi's hands and told her to give it back to Nick. She knew that Nick was going to find another girl to get in arguments with and abuse. She wanted Desi to protect that girl. It was her dying wish, and Desi couldn't say no. Tiffany was even beautiful as an infected.

"Desi?" Roland had pulled over, and his whole body had turned in her direction.

"Oh, sorry. Daydreaming." She whispered, clutching the chain.

"Do you need a moment?"

"No. I'm fine."

"Well, it's getting dark. I thought we could just sleep tonight instead of driving." Roland smiled softly.

"There aren't any infected around here, right?" Desi asked.

"Nope. We can sleep out in the flatbed."

Desi nodded before opening the door of the truck, the heat blasting her. She was panting by the time they made it to the back of the truck, her hoodie and boots thrown out in the desert. She wouldn't need them anymore. As Roland was opening their backpacks to make dinner, Desi was cutting her jeans into shorts with a switchblade. She accidentally stabbed herself a few times, but it was better than roasting to death in the desert.

"So, were you engaged?" Roland started, handing her a water bottle.

"Oh, no. This was Nick's." Desi took a swig, her eyes dry.

"It's a nice ring, really." He muttered, before chewing on beef jerky.

Desi fell asleep with her hands clasped around the ring.

"Jose, get up. We gotta move." Nathan prodded the Australian slightly.

She softly snorted, her face lax. Nathan noted that when she slept, she didn't have a scowl on her face like when she was awake. She was probably dreaming about home, when she wasn't stuck with a now sixteen year old child. Nathan had predicted it was around May or early June. His birthday was May 27th. Josie's eyes blinked open slowly, wet from sleep. Nathan smiled softly before getting up, surveying the area. They had decided to take refuge in a small camp outside of San Diego. It used to be a bustling city, but now the walkers owned it. The camp they had been living in for the past week was running dry. It wasn't looted when the duo had found it, but the supplies quickly ran out. The people who resided normally must of taken everything before vacating.

"What time do you reckon it is?" Josie yawned.

Nathan looked out the window, the sun just peeping out behind the trees. "Eh, maybe like six or seven, possibly eight."

Josie groaned, "Why up so fucking early?"

"Because it's moving day. We gotta start moving north." Nathan laughed.

Before their Zone had fallen, Josie and Nathan had heard of news that a chopper going from Nevada had crashed. Josie was certain Ellis was on that flight. Nathan was hesitant, but there was nowhere better to go. They had decided on traveling the West coast, all the way up to Canada if Josie wanted to.

"Well, better get a move on then?" Josie got up, putting her backpack on.

Nathan clicked the safety off of his Colt, a smile spreading on his lips. He had gotten somewhat bloodthirsty since leaving the Zone, the cracking of a gun soothing his already quite mind. He wasn't thinking of much, other than killing anything that tried to kill him. That, and the one that got away.

Phoenix.

She had visited him in his dreams almost every night, some good and some nightmares. He couldn't count the times he had witnessed her demise, along with times he had sex with her. He hadn't seen her recently, and that was scaring him. He sighed and mentally slapped himself, focusing on shooting and reloading. There weren't many zombies around the area, but the ones that were hadn't eaten in months. They were savages, and tried to eat anything that moved.

"Hunter!" Josie trilled, pointing her Assault Rifle at a hooded body.

Nathan put a small amount of pressure on the trigger, a bullet ripping into the Hunter's jacket. He screamed, leaping at Nathan. He shot at the body three more times before it slumped to the ground with a sigh. Nathan smirked softly before trekking over the body, beginning to jog into the forest. Josie kept pace with him, the woods creepily quiet. They didn't see a single infected since the Hunter.

"This is creepy." Josie lisped, her eyes narrowing.

"Too." Nathan agreed. They had stopped at a stream to get a drink.

"You think they're all in the city?" Josie asked in between a gulp of water.

"Most likely. Keep your gun ready though."

"I'm not an idiot, child." Josie snapped.

Josie and Nathan argued a lot nowadays. They disagreed on the most basic of procedures, including where to sleep and what to eat. Josie was almost always right, but Nathan was headstrong and refused to give up on what he thought was right. He contemplated this as they continued to jog. He wondered if they would ever find the others again.

The group was nearly at thirty people now. Thirty people who had survived hell and somehow still knew how to have a good time. Scarlett sat on a giant piece of driftwood, holding a cold beer in her palms. A bonfire roared in the center, a few of the people roasting marshmallows on sticks. Rick and Marcy were standing guard, which meant sitting on top of the giant Greyhound bus Trixie had found in town. Rick held a Sniper Rifle, while Marcy totted a shotgun. Nick was sitting next to her, a smile on his lips. Phoenix was talking with a few girls her age, along with Tucker. Scar had noticed Tucker was getting a lot closer to Phoenix than she would like. Scar knew that Phoenix needed to grow up on her own, and Scarlett needed to stop interfering in her life.

"This is nice." Scarlett sighed, leaning on Nick.

"Extremely. I'm still in shock that I have you next to me." Nick muttered in her ear.

It had been two months since Nick had rescued her. The group had welcomed her with open arms, as if it was second nature. She went on hunting trips with men, washed laundry with the housewives, and even babysat the two kids of the group. It was the first time Scarlett actually felt welcomed in a social situation. Everyone seemed to like her. Even Serenity cooled her jets for a while. Tucker had also swooned about Serenity.

"So, what plans do we have for tonight?" Nick's growl had brought her back into reality.

Scarlett and Nick were having sex almost every night. Nick had come home from a raid with boxes of condoms, and Scarlett didn't mind. She was just afraid of the reliability of old condoms. It wasn't uncommon to hear a few moans or a squeal from one of the numerous couples at night. Scar and Nick slept in a tent as well, but tended to go out in wild places to have sex. One time they even did it with numerous infected in the area.

"I'm actually kind of tired." Scarlett faked a yawn, taking a swig of her beer.

"Bullshit." Nick's arm slinked around her waist, instantly making her insides quiver.

Scarlett sighed, watching the kids play around the bonfire. Tucker and Serenity were dancing next to an old boom box playing Weezer. Phoenix was braiding a girl named Payton's hair. Everything seemed normal.

"WALKERS!" Rick boomed.

Everyone froze.

It wasn't common to have walkers around, especially at night. Infected seemed to hate water. The music was instantly turned off, the bonfire was put out by a stream of water. Scarlett dropped her beer in the sand and grabbed the two kids, Adrian and Katelyn. Nick was picking up an Assault Rifle, while Ellis was cocking his shotgun. The ones that were in the south, like Scar, were usually the ones to go out and exterminate the walkers. Scarlett's job was to hide the children before going out and kicking zombie ass.

"Okay guys, you know what to do. We're playing hide and seek, and you guys are hiding. Make sure to be as quiet as possible so I don't find you." Scar cooed as she shoved them into the first available tent.

The one's who couldn't fight or unable to hid in the tents. Rick forbade anyone under 16 to fight. Phoenix was batshit livid, but Rick was firm. He was the leader of the group, and was about at scary as a tank. Scarlett sprinted back to the burning embers of the fire, grabbing her AK. It was usually propped up against one of the cars or back at her tent. She jumped over what looked to be a five series, pulling her gun into position.

A female infected lunged at her, her inhuman strength yanking Scar to the ground. She let out a yell, slamming the butt of her gun into the zombie's skull. It was stunned, which gave Scarlett enough time to roll out of the thing's grip and land a bullet in its skull. The girl slumped to the ground without a noise.

"You okay?" One of the boys, Scar recognized him as a man named Erick, called.

"Damn near fine." Scarlett breathed as she started to open fire.

Bodies littered the ground. She saw Nick out of the corner of her eye shooting out into the distance. Scarlett cursed loudly. Specials were starting to find them too. She picked out a jockey and downed it, hearing the screaming of even more. No amount of infected had ever shown up at the camp.

"What the hell is this?" Scarlett whipped her head around, surrounded by hundreds.

She felt a hand grasp hers, her ring pushing into the palm of her hand.


End file.
